Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• After School Clubs Information

  Fri 24 Sep 2021

   

  Just a little reminder that the after school clubs are starting next week, w/c 27th September.

   

  Please note, if you were able to book your child on a club through ParentPay, then your child does have a place. (the system would not have let you enter details if the club was full)

   

  Collection Arrangements

  Infant Building: The Design Technology and Traditional Tales Clubs are based at the Infants. Please collect your child from the entrance of the Infants building (white automatic doors) at 4.15pm.

  Junior Building: All other clubs are based at the Junior building. The girls and boys football clubs will be coming out from the green side gate which is to the left of the main entrance door at the Juniors. (past the junior kitchen). All other clubs will be leaving through the main entrance door so please wait outside in the old carpark/ grass area at the front of school. All clubs finish at 4.15pm apart from the Judo club which finishes at 4.30pm.

   

  PE Kit needed for Clubs

  Football Clubs: PE kit, trainers or football boots. Please note, shin pads must be worn.

   

  Flag American Football: PE kit and trainers.

   

  Judo: PE kit or judo suit if you have one. 

   

  Many thanks

  

• Congratulations to Mr Fell for getting a National Teaching Award

  Fri 17 Sep 2021 Anna Cvijetic

  Many congratulations to Mr Fell who was nominated by someone from the school community for a National Teaching Award.  He was presented his certificate and we celebrated this in assembly this week. 

   

  He received a letter from the President of the awards, author Michael Morpurgo, who said "For a child to have a great teacher like you is so important.  You open doors, shine a light."

   

  We are very proud of Mr Fell and all of our teachers, who do a brilliant job every day, dedicating their lives to teaching our children to make their world a better place.

  

• Attendance News September 2021

  Thu 16 Sep 2021

  Many thanks for the support of the vast majority of parents and carers in the school for ensuring good attendance for our children.  Our attendance figure for the last academic year was 95.7%, which considering the impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had, is reassuring.   We are striving to improve on this this year – we want every child to be 100%.  Good attendance is essential for a successful future for your child.  Research shows that some young people who regularly miss school can be drawn into anti-social behaviour or crime.  We want all our children to be happy and achieve, we want them to have a good education so they have choices and opportunities in adult life.

   

  We monitor attendance very carefully so that we can support families.  The Government have defined the ‘persistent absence threshold’ as 90%.  We write and speak to parents on a regular basis if their attendance or punctuality is causing a concern and put in place measures to try to improve this.  Following the pandemic, the Government are keen that school leaders focus on improving attendance this academic year.

   

  Holidays / Leave of absence in term time

  I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that in September 2013, the Department for Education made amendments to the leave request regulations.  We had to revise our school policy based upon this new government regulation.  In summary, the new legislation states that:

  • the current law does not give parents any entitlement to take their children out of school for a holiday during term time;
  • any application for leave must only be in ‘exceptional’ circumstances and the Headteacher must be satisfied that the circumstances are ‘exceptional’;
  • in ‘exceptional circumstances’ a request for absence must be made in advance to the Headteacher, who will inform you of his/her decision prior to booking the leave;
  • if a request for leave is not authorised by the Headteacher and the pupil does not attend school, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised, which then stays on a child’s permanent record.

   

  We are required by law to report unauthorised absences to the Local Authority, who may issue a Fixed Penalty Notice, which means a parent may be fined by the Education Inclusion Service (EIS).  I must also make parents aware that due to equalities legislation, fixed penalty notices will now be issued to all parents who have parental responsibility and whom can be traced.  Please be aware that the proceeds from fixed penalty fines DO NOT go to the school. 

   

  Should parents make the choice to take their child out of school on an unauthorised holiday they should not then declare this as a sickness absence.  We do ring to check, particularly when children inform us of the holiday or when they return from a sickness absence with a suspiciously deep sun tan!  As already stated, it is the Headteacher’s decision whether or not to authorise any absence and the mark given.

   

  Leave of absence during term time is not an entitlement and will not be granted for the sole purpose of a family holiday.  Leave of absence during term time interrupts continuity of teaching and learning and can disrupt the educational progress of individual children, creating disruption in schools.  Promoting regular school attendance is a key component in the Government’s strategy to raise educational standards. In order for children to reach their full potential and access the learning opportunities available to them, children must attend school regularly.  As a parent or carer you are required by law to ensure that your child attends school regularly.

   

  Absence for illness

  We would ask that parents and carers do not arrange for medical and dental appointments in school time wherever possible.  When this is unavoidable, then your child should return to school or come to school first before being collected for the appointment.  Please be aware that the school register is taken twice a day, so your child will receive an attendance mark in the morning and the afternoon.

   

  If your child is ill, you must phone the school each day they are absent.  Messages can be left on the phone system if there is no-one in the office to take your call.  Minor ailments, such as a headache or slight cold, are not acceptable reasons for failing to attend school.  Repeated absences may require the school to request that you obtain medical evidence from your doctor’s surgery or local pharmacy as recommended by the Government.

   

  Punctuality

  A reminder to all that we are back to normal school times and the school day starts at 9am, so your children should be in their seat in their classroom at this time.  We open the gates and classroom doors at 8.545am to let the children straight in to school.  If your child arrives after 9am, they must go through the main office and sign in, as they will have missed registration in their class.  The school and EIS monitor this closely and will contact families if this occurs frequently.  If your child is late they are missing out on valuable school time and settling in time.  We start teaching immediately, they may also miss things like interventions and marking review time.

   

  If you have any questions about the school attendance procedures, please do not hesitate to contact the school.  Please accept my thanks for your full support in attendance and punctuality matters.

   

  Best wishes

   

  Anna Cvijetic

  Headteacher